Press Release: Vallejo Educators Respond to Grand Jury Report on High School Safety Concerns

May 24, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Vallejo Educators Respond to Grand Jury

Report On High School Safety Concerns

VALLEJO – Local educators share many of the same concerns about Vallejo High School safety spelled out in a recent grand jury report.

For the past two years, members of the Vallejo Education Association have reported to the Vallejo City Unified School District administration and to school board members their concerns regarding safety – not  only on the Vallejo High School campus but at other school sites within the district.

“There is nothing to celebrate about this report, said Christal Watts, President of VEA. “While teachers do feel a sense of vindication, we also recognize that there is much work to be done. This essential work absolutely must include teachers’ voices.”

Among other findings about the 1,700-student Vallejo High School, the Solano County Grand Jury report says too few teachers have access to two-way radios to communicate directly with campus supervisors; several locations on campus are not secure and are “easily accessible” by intruders; and the high school administration is “not informing teachers of a student’s prior criminal or disruptive conduct at the time a student is enrolled in their class.”

VEA is calling on the district administration and the school board to work with VEA and the California School Employees Association in finding sustainable solutions to address the issues raised in the grand jury report.  VEA is working on grant funding to help coordinate VEA and district “community listening sessions.”

“Right now many of our teachers are very concerned about the direction of this district,” Watts further stated. “One of the most essential ingredients for student success is to provide a safe environment for both students and their teachers. This report confirms that this is not always happening.”

VEA looks forward to engaging in honest dialogue with the community about the findings of this report in the upcoming months.

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The Vallejo Education Association is affiliated with the 325,000-member California Teachers Association and the 3.2 million-member National Education Association.